Pain
by PumpkinJellicle
Summary: Pouncival wasn't always the happy go lucky kit you see today, and now his past has come back to haunt him
**I wrote this a while ago when I felt like hurting Pounce. Yikes. This is what happens when my RPs were all too happy!**

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"Mum? Mum where did you go?" A small brown tabby kitten cried, weeks old, as he searched for his mother.

They had been in the park together, her teaching him of the dangers of the outside world. It had been his first time out of the alleyway they called home.

But now he found himself utterly alone. Pouncival glanced around, he hadn't meant to wonder off. But everything was so exciting out here, all the sights and smells he just had to investigate them.

"Mum?" He called for her again, slowly going back the way he came hoping to cross her path. But she wasn't there.

Tears welled in the young kits eyes, where could she have gone?

Pounce stayed in the park, circling different trees and bushes hoping to find her but when the rain started to fall he gave up.

Wet and shivering he made his way back home, hoping that she had gone there instead. But once again she was nowhere to be found.

He curled up behind a bin and cried. His mother was gone.

That is where he stayed, getting colder and lonelier by the hour, until an older grey tabby found him full of promise of a better life.

—

As far as Pouncival was concerned the junk yard was his home. He had friends, a new family, one that would never leave him. He was happy there.

Hunting trips often took him outside of its fences, there was never enough mice to go around and as he was slowly approaching cat-hood he figured he was old enough to go out on his own.

It didn't take long for Pounce to catch scent of a mouse. His stomach growled in anticipation as he dropped down onto all fours to begin his hunt. The poor mouse darted out in front him, seemingly unaware of the young cat that was going to make it his meal. Pouncival tensed his muscles, ready to pounce.

Suddenly he heard a pained cry. He straightened up, startled, forgetting the mouse that had run away at the sound. He frowned, he didn't like the sound of that at all. Somebody was in trouble.

He started running as he heard it again, it didn't matter that he would probably be no match for whatever it was, he had to help.

Pounce turned the corner and in that moment wished he had never left the junk yard at all.

In front of him stood Macavity, The Hidden Paw himself. He stood, fear rooting him to the ground. On the floor was a queen, markings similar to his own. She was bleeding.

He stared at the two cats, Macavity with a wicked grin on his face. His victim, whimpering in pain.

The queen opened her eyes to see the last cat she expected. "Pouncival?"

A feeling of dread came over him as he realised who it was. "Mum?" But it couldn't be. He thought she was dead, he never expected her to have abandoned him after all.

He had hardly taken a step towards her when Macavity grabbed her by the throat and hauled her off the floor.

"Oh isn't this sweet, a little family reunion." He laughed as the queen struggled in his grip, unable to breathe.

"Pounce….run…" His mother said, desperately trying to loosen the hold on her neck.

"Don't leave now Pouncival, the fun is about to begin." Macavity grinned.

He tried moving his paw, but they wouldn't budge. He couldn't move. He couldn't even look away. Macavity made sure of that. He could only watch as Macavity choked the life out of his mother, as her pleas grew weaker and as the light left her eyes.

It wasn't until Macavity let her body hit the floor that he found he could move again.

"Go on then. Run." The Hidden Paw growled, taking a step towards him. The growl turned to laugher as Pouncival turned on his heel and fled. Macavity didn't pursue him, his victims were much more fun to play with alive. So for now, Pouncival would live.

Tears were streaming down his face, he couldn't hardly see where he was going. He couldn't feel anything but the pain in his chest. And yet he ran. He didn't stop until he crossed the boarders of the junk yard where he would be safe.

He collapsed to his knees, heart wrenching sobs tore from his chest. He dug his claws into the ground, holding on as if the world would lose him if he let go. There were no words to describe the pain he felt.

His mother was dead. She had been out there the whole time, he could have found her, but Macavity got to her first.

His head hurt, his chest hurt. He couldn't escape the horrific images in his mind. His mother bleeding, dying. Macavity's laughter. Himself, powerless to save her.

"Mum…"

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 **Thank you for reading!**


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